The hand tool art traditionally provided tool sets, such as screwdriver sets and socket wrench sets. These sets were comprised of multiple hand tools to accomplish different tool bit drive functions as well as to accomplish differently sized similar tool bit drive functions.
Prior art commercial screwdriver sets would, by way of example, include from eight (8) to twenty-two (22) screwdrivers or separately housed tool bit drives, as shown in attached FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively. Socket wrench sets and tool bit drive sets required specialized mounting and storage for the large pluralities of socket drives and tool bit drives.
The art desired multiple tool bit drive combination tools to reduce the mounting and storage requirements. Rocca, U.S. Pat. No. 4,448,097 granted May 15, 1994, disclosed a complex multiple piece housing construction which provided a total of six (6) tool bit drive functions and two (2) nut drive means functions. Kozak, U.S. Pat. No. 5,450,775 granted Sep. 19, 1995, disclosed a multiple tool bit drive function of complex housing design. These early attempts achieved some limited multiple functionality in a hand tool, and required complex construction. The hand tool art however ultimately desired a single hand tool which contained essentially an entire or complete screwdriver set or tool bit drive hand tool set. The prior art fell far short of that need.